Sunday, August 2, 2009

Homemade Wax Melter and Honey Extractor

I made these two items small because I want to only keep no more then four hives. Someone once told me bees are like weeds when they take hold you get covered up with them. I hope this is not the case. Due to back trouble four hives may be about my limit. The wax melter is simple,an ice cooler,glass cut to fit the top,duct tape on glass edeges to keep from getting cut,plastic bowl with about an inch of water in bottom,and paper towel on top of bowl secured with a rubber band. Most important a sunny day from 85 to 90+ degrees. The honey extractor was made from scrapes around the shop. It only holds one frame at a time but this is how I want to keep things small. I feel a good year I may have no more then forty frames to extract. I built it on the design of a icecream feezer that you crank with a handle. I like the crush and strain method but I need to have drawn comb to start the year off and can't do that when I destroy the comb.